The birth of a protector
by iris0011
Summary: 'I'll protect you from now on, Momma'- Have you ever wondered how Masaki and Isshin coped with having a protector as there son? Or why was he unable to save his wife that day? Or why Ichigo never discovered his own powers before he met Rukia? Find out!


_A/N: This is a one-shoot story, and it's title says it all... A little Ichigo tribute. Half-canon, if that could be considered a valid definition. Please read and enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own bleach._

…...

The birth of a protector

…...

'Masaki! Oh, no!' Isshin Kurosaki ran to his wife's side as fast as he could, worry attached to his every feature, which changed quickly to those of horror as he saw her bleeding arm and head... Urahara Kisuke was already there next to her, tending her wounds.

'What happened, Kisuke?' Isshin asked demanding, breathless.

'Cool down my friend... It's just a scratch... nothing serious!'

'Nothing my ass! Can't you see she's bleeding, damn it!'

'Of course I can see... Geez! Give me a break! I was only referring to the fact that it could have been much-much worse... lucky I was close by... '

Isshin now looked at Masaki, scowling.

'Don't tell me it was an other one?'

Masaki smiled at him apologetically.

'Hey... Don't give me that look! I'm all right! Besides, it's not like I can do anything about it... I don't know why all the hollows appearing are suddenly interested in me...'

Urahara gave her a puzzled look.

'This was not the first one, to come after you?'

'No... there was two last week, and one the week before that.'

Urahara frowned under his hat.

'That's a little frequent... too frequent to be coincidence...'

He finished tieing the bandage on her arm, and helped her up.

'Thank you, Urahara-san.' she said.

'My kido should keep the pain at bay for a few hours, but she might need some medicament after that..'

Isshin only grouted in acknowledgment.

'Kurosaki-san?' Urahara turned back to Masaki, looking into her eyes quietly, as though searching for some answers... 'Haven't you noticed some improvement to your spiritual powers lately?'

Isshin tensed up at hearing that question. Masaki thought about it before answering.

'Now that you mention it... I am able to see and hear ghosts more clearly now... I can even touch them, though I was unable to before...'

'I see...' was Urahara's maddeningly mysterious answer. Isshin rounded on him at once.

'So, what do you suggest Mr Great Big scientist? That her spiritual pressure just skipped of it's own accord? If it had happened during the time I was using my powers and spilling out my spiritual energy all the time, I would understand that... but for it top happen now, without any trigger, that is highly unlikely!'

'I agree... but that's not the case here. It's not her own spiritual pressure that has grown...'

Masaki looked up, with a very strange look in her lovely eyes.

'You don't say...'

Urahara smiled at her gently.

'That's exactly what I'm saying.'

She continued to look that same, strange way, until a single happy teardrop ran down her face, showing her emotion.

Isshin scratched his neck, looking from Masaki to Urahara and back with deep confusion.

'Wait... What? I don't get it!'

The other two began to laugh at the flabbergasted expression on his face. Urahara thumped him in the back.

'I have a feeling you soon will... Daddy Kurosaki! Congratulations!'

The former soul reaper instantly turned a nice shade of green...

…...

Later Masaki found her husband sitting on the riverside, silently watching the first stars appearing on the darkening sky.

'Hi there!' she greeted him playfully. 'Is that seat taken?' she gestured to the place on the ground next to him.

He grinned up at her.

'There is always room for such a pretty lady!'

She giggled, and sat down, leaning against him and resting her chin on his broad shoulder. He put an arm around her. They sat in silence for a while, then Isshin finally sighed.

'I'm so sorry, Masaki! I'm sorry for freaking out like this... I'm such a jerk! I want you to know, that I'm really happy... It's just...'

'A little sudden.'

'No! Well maybe, but that's not it! It's just that I thought that I could finally live a normal peaceful life, leaving my past behind... the reason I waited so long to ask you to marry me was that I wanted to protect you from all this! It didn't seem right to mix you up with all this hollow-madness... So even though I loved you, I planned to keep my distance from you... I bought your engagement ring the very next day I lost my powers! But now... I'm just so worried for you! How is this fair?'

Masaki gently caressed his face with one hand, and turned him to face her. She smiled at him lovingly, and kissed him short and sweet.

'Don't worry... Everything will work out... I'm not afraid of anything, as long as we are together!'

He embraced her gently, and after he released her, he looked deeply into her eyes.

'So... a baby, huh?'

Excitement glowed in her eyes instantly.

'Yes...'

…...

**/ 7 month later /**

Masaki made a huge mistake that day... It was a shining day, the warm May sunshine had all the promise of a fine summer in it... The trees glowed in vivid green, and butterflies and bees were working busy, flying from flower to flower. She felt like walking a little.

As always of late, her mind was a little disorganized. This was something new to her, it must be a side-effect of her pregnancy: she was never one to space out or daydream without end, but it happened frequently now... This time it was an old nursery-rime that had somehow, miraculously popped into her head just a moment ago, and she welcomed it like an old, long forgotten friend, and she went over and over it again, wanting to attach it to her memory anew.

She caressed her round belly lovingly as she prepared to leave the house, with a smile on her lips. She remembered to grab her umbrella, and slide it inside her bag for safe measure, never noticing the small rectangular charm lying next to it, forgotten...

It was the protective charm Urahara had given her... Ever since that day she first found out she would be a mother, she had taken it everywhere with her except inside the house, which had other protection. It had worked so well, that only a few hollows ever found her, but even those that did were unable to touch her. Maybe this gave her a false sense of security, or maybe it was just the fault of the nursery-rime, but anyway, the damage was done... She only remembered the charm an hour later, when she was walking through the park, and suddenly she heard a now familiar chilling cry behind her, belonging no doubt to a hollow...

There were many people near by, but it only went for her...

…...

Isshin's phone rang, with an unfamiliar number. He picked it up.

'Kurosaki Isshin! May I help you?' he greeted, thinking that the unknown caller needed his help as a doctor.

'It's me... Ryuken.'

'Ishida Ryuken? What happened? Earth quake? Tsunami? Alien invasion? End of the world? It must be something serious for you to call...'

'I have you're wife with me... She was attacked by a hollow...'

Isshin uttered a series of well chosen swearing words...

'... but if you would cut the pointless, and may I say rude shouting I could tell you she's fine.'

There was now silence on the other end of the line...

'Seems like I owe you one, Ryuken...'

'No. You don't own anything. I didn't save her. I was late.'

'But then...?'

'It's a little indistinct, to tell you the truth... just come here already, and I think she will be able to tell you better than me...'

…...

'So... you saw this man...' said Isshin, gripping a fistful of his own hair in frustration as he clarified this for the tenth time already. Her wife's story still didn't seem to make much sense to him. They were now sitting with Urahara, in his shop, discussing her amazing escape.

'Yes.' she answered.

'He was tall, middle-aged, with shoulder-length black hair, strange glasses and a long, tattered black cloak...'

'Yes.'

'And he had a sword.' stated Urahara.

'Yes... a quite strange one...'

'And you have never seen him before?'

'No. I would remember...'

'Someone from Soul Society? Or the town's representative?' Isshin asked Urahara.

'No. The town's current representative is a woman named Asuka, and no-one new came in the past month through senkaimon.'

Isshin's brows furrowed in concentration.

'I don't think he even looked like a soul reaper...' Masaki was thinking aloud. '… and he seemed to be appearing out of thin air...'

'And what did this man do?' Isshin asked.

'He sent something flying in the air, and it slashed the hollow completely in two... it was blue... shining bright... shaped like a half moon.'

Isshin and Urahara looked at each other open mouthed. Urahara even dropped his fan in surprise. Isshin's mouth went dry.

'Getsuga Tenso...' he choked out, shocked. Masaki looked at him confused, because those two words didn't tell her anything.

'Well... this really is something I haven't seen before...' Urahara admitted, the light shining in his eyes marking a devoted scientist making a new interesting discovery.

'Do you know this man, Urahara-san?' Masaki turned to him hopefully. 'I need to thank him!'

'No... I don't know him... or should I say it... because if I'm not mistaken it was a zanpakuto spirit that you saw... Which means the one you have to thank is right here...' he said happily. 'May I?' he asked the flabbergasted woman, and carefully placed one palm over her belly. 'And I'm sure he can already hear you well... This little one will be quite something, I bet...'

…...

**/ a few weeks later / **

'Isshin... I don't like this...'

'Masaki... we've already been through this... Trust me, I'm not happy about it either, but what can we do?'

The pair was nearing the Urahara shop. Masaki had there newborn baby boy securely in her arms, hugging him close as though to protect him from what's to come... The baby was sleeping peacefully, like there were no trouble at all in the world, and completely oblivious of the fact that he gave his parents quite a headache.

'I trust Urahara-san, but still... this feels wrong... he's just a baby!' she sighed.

Urahara came out to meet them at that moment.

'That's exactly the reason why I offered to help, Kurosaki-san. I understand you feel anxious about it, but I assure you there is no danger at all for him... As I see it, more danger lies in not doing anything... I could provide protection for him by charms and spells... but as you yourself experienced it, that's not limitless...'

Masaki still frowned. Urahara sighed and continued.

'I'm not taking anything away from your son... I will only give him a seal... it will be able to hold back some part of his spirit energy. That way he wouldn't be so exposed to hollows, and the seal would also prevent him accessing his own powers before he is ready for them... The power will be there, only hidden from peeping eyes... You want him to have a chance at a carefree, normal childhood, don't you? But I won't force you to do anything... I only offered my help... the decision is yours...'

Masaki looked at Isshin, but he only wore a sour expression, and didn't say anything further.

'What will happen to the seal later?' she asked.

'He will be able to break through it himself, when the time is right...'

'Is there really a right time for something like that?' Isshin grunted. 'I'd rather he would never...'

'We shall see...' said Urahara. His eyes traveled back to Masaki once more, and he waited patiently, until the beautiful woman finally nodded her head.

'Let's go inside...'

He led them to the shop's dining room, where his assistant Tessai was already waiting for them. He offered them seats, and he reached out his hands for the baby, wrapped securely inside his blankets.

'Hi there little fellow...' he greeted the sleeping little boy, as he took him from his mother, cradling him gently in his arms.

'The finest little baby I ever saw, if I may say so, Kurosaki-dono...' said Tessai, touched. 'And cute too... what an unusual hair color!'

Masaki smiled weakly.

'What name have you decided on?' asked Urahara.

The two parents looked at each other.

'Well... I wanted something traditional... like Ichirou _/A/N:name meaning: first son/_. That's a fine name for a first baby... but Masaki had an other thing in mind...' Isshin admitted sheepishly.

Masaki's smile became more warm.

'He's "Ichigo"... my "number one guardian angel"...'

Isshin frowned.

'I think it literally means "to protect one thing"...'

Urahara laughed.

'It also means "strawberry", you know... anyway, it fits him!' then he looked down at the baby in his arms with a more serious expression. 'I promise to keep an eye on you, Ichigo Kurosaki...'

...

**/ 9 years later /**

Isshin Kurosaki went to the Urahara shop late in the night, a few days after his wife's burial. The shopkeeper met him on the doorstep.

'My old friend... words can not express how sorry I am...' he said quietly. 'She was a magnificent woman...'

He received no answer.

'I feel... responsible... the seal was my idea... and I do wonder now whether things would have gone differently, if...'

'No... No 9 year old should have to be responsible for protecting there mother! It was not your fault... and neither Ichigo's... it was mine...'

'Isshin...' Urahara wanted to protest, but the other man cut across him firmly, though not looking him in the eyes.

'Kisuke...I want you to restore my powers to me...'

…...

**/Ichigo almost 16 years old/**

Rukia was watching the enormous Menos Grande slowly unfold itself from the tear in the sky with horror. And that idiot Ichigo was already running up to it! Clearly he had no idea whatsoever what it was... or how far away it's power-level was...

'Quit it Ichigo! You can't fight...' she wanted to run to stop him, but suddenly found her way blocked by Urahara.

'Urahara! You! What's the meaning of this? You intend to kill Ichigo?'

'Of course not.'

'Then move aside!'

'That's no good... Can't do that, Kuchiki-san... Please watch quietly.'

He just clicked his fingers together lazily, and her body was immediately restricted by a binding spell so powerful, that trying to break it was useless...

'This battle is a crucial one... as crucial to you as it will be for him...' Urahara said.

They watched together as Ichigo was thrown back the first time, and as he ran in again... Rukia wanted to close her eyes but they were glued to the sight. She could feel Ichigo's spiritual power flare... It became higher, higher... was it that high ever before? No...

'Ichigo...'

As the ridiculously strong energy was released and wounded the Menos badly, she heard Urahara murmur softly.

'And that's it... it's finally broken... now we shall see what we would get...'

…...

_A/N: I don't know if I did all right with Isshin's character, he seems more like Ichigo, lol... aren't they related? Masaki was also hard to write: practically the only thing we know about her from canon is that she was perfect..._

_According to my idea Ichigo was able to save his mother once... even if he failed later. How do you like it? Review please!_


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